The Wheel Of Time

The Wheel of 'Success':
Sandra Cretu is probably mostly known in the United States as 'the voice of Enigma' or Mrs. Cretu, the wife of the brilliant Romanian-German producer Michael Cretu (the inventor of Enigma, known for "Sadeness", "Mea Culpa", "Return to Innocence", "T.N.T. for the Brain", etc.) However, before lending her seductive voice to her husband's enigmatic project, Mrs. Cretu thrived on the success of her solo career, which includes some of the best of 1980's retro-dance hits; "Maria Magdalena", "In the Heat of the Night", "Secret Land" and "Everlasting Love" were all great hits that catapulted Sandra into the Madonna-esque universe of German dance music. Nevertheless, her '80's music, though excellent in its own right, leaves no significant imprint on this blockbuster of an album. "The Wheel of Time" (2002) is a production love child of husband Michael Cretu and fellow Enigma pal, Jens Gad. Although reminiscent of some of Enigma's sounds, the album is mostly an experimentation in contemporary European dance culture. By any means NOT a euro-pop album, or a trance/techno venture, "The Wheel of Time" is a darker breed of dance that stands virtually independent of any dance-type category you might be tempted to put it in. Simply speaking, it is its own category. And with the assistance of her genius spouse, this is - by no doubt - a real Cretu gem.... 1) forgive me (9/10) great opener; sets a great tone for the rest of the album. 2) footprints (9/10) sounds a lot like Enigma, very strong production. 3) motivation (10/10) this one will warm up your soul; very inspirational, uplifting lyrics (and sound) 4) i close my eyes (10/10) great ballad; it almost seems to take you take you somewhere....and it is a very pleasant place... 5) perfect touch (10/10) one of my favorites, i love her voice, the production and the tribal chants in the background; this should have been a single. 6) silent running (9/10) a very nice rendition of a well known cover. 7) such a shame (10/10) another favorite; this one will make you want to dance. 8) now! (9/10) another uplifting song, this one is a duet with her hubby. 9) free love (10/10) a cover of the Depeche Mode (2001) song of the same name; dare I say better than the original?? : ) 10) forever (7/10) the weakest track, yet still a gem, (another ballad) 11) the wheel of time (10/10) I love this one, kind of dark, but a very strong closing for the album.....you will love it (also reminiscent of Enigma)

THE VOICE OF ENIGMA.:
i've had this cd for several years now. and its as enjoyable now as it was at first. of course in the states sandra is really only heard as the female voice of enigma. but those of us lucky enough to know her as just sandra have enjoyed years of great pop songs that defined the 80's. her old songs remind me of my summers in greece (where she was huge), growing up. this "comeback" cd is a masterpeice. it contains some of her best songs. such as "forgive me", "forever", "footprints", and the depeche mode cover, "freelove". (they're all f songs?!?!). as well as talk tal's classic, "such a shame". this album is her most "enigma" sounding. so if your a fan of enigma, but new to sandra, then this is a good place to start.

awesome:
this is a wonderfull album; it has not just sandra's nice voice but also engima's flavor. the best song on the album is the title track, the wheel of time; it has a very creative beat, nice lyrics and a 21st century music sound. the next best song is such a shame.

The best Sandra album since Close to Seven:
I somehow missed out on the release of this album, only finding out about it seven years after! This is a too-rare gem, in the era of Sandra's career that followed her big eighties success, and the great coda that was Close to Seven. Fading Shades, as most fans will attest, suffered from poor production and song ideas, save for a few esential cuts. Wheel of Time is quite the opposite, a solid production that only has a few weak tracks. Here's some of my favorites: Forgive Me- That brand of sexiness that only Sandra can convey. It follows the direction of No Taboo and I Need Love, except that the lyrics aren't have nothing to do with seduction. It's more about a pulsating vibe, than anything else. Motivation- Perfect blend of great lyrics and solid production. Easily one of Sandra's best ever. Perfect Touch- The poor lyrics (Lost your game and I'm sure you'll pay for your crime, babe, oh yeah) cannot get in the way of the hypnotic pacing and synth sound. The vocoded male chorus background puts the finishing touch on a, well, perfect song. Just don't focus on the lyrics too much, and I guarantee you'll fall in love with it. I agree with the reviewer who thought it would have been released as a single. Silent Running- Listening to the original Mike the Mechanics version, you miss out on the full meaning, or so I find. Those who adamantly dismiss Sandra's vocal delivery should note that her version does more justice to the post-apocalyptic meaning of the song! There is an unmistakable Enigma feel, with the opening hook. This is a very relevant song for the times we live in. Now!- Sandra and Enigma, to a higher power. It flows with positive energy (Now, I can really see the light, after years of being blind, self destruction on my mind...) Really sends a shiver up my spine. Great production! Such a Shame- Sandra's greatest single, since Johnny Wanna Live, in my book. I honestly can't get enough of it! I wish all cover songs were this good. Forever- I'm puzzled why so many Sandra fans feel ambivalent about this song. I like it quite a bit, even if the lyrics seem like something you'd write on the back of postcards. Just something about it that's uplifting. Needless to say, I am really fond of this album. Regrettably, Sandra's output since 1992 has been sparse. I know she's committed to her children and family life, but five years between albums is really too long, if your name isn't Enya! That makes Wheel of Time even that much more special. P.S.- Yes, there are some tracks I could do without. Footprints is the main one, but I also don't care for Free Love, or the title track. But this is a very minor complaint, when the rest is so good! Thank you for eternity, Sandra Cretu!

Excellent !:
Sandra has been quite discreet lately, but she still makes wonderful albums. The ballad "I Close My Yes" is her favorite... and mine as well!